Secretary Naig Urges Congress to Find Agreement to Make Year-Round E15 Available Nationwide
Year-round E15 sales saved Iowa drivers an estimated $65 million between 2023-2024
DES MOINES, Iowa (Feb. 16, 2026) - Today, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig urged the U.S. House of Representatives’ Rural Domestic Energy Council to find agreement to make year-round E15 available to drivers around the country. Secretary Naig, a longtime biofuels advocate, reinforced the cost-saving benefits of E15 at a time when affordability is top of mind for many Americans.
According to the Iowa Department of Revenue’s 2024 Annual Retailers Fuel Gallons Report, E15 sales grew 44 percent from 2023 to 2024, reaching 256.7 million gallons sold in Iowa in 2024. On average, E15 costs about 15 cents less per gallon than traditional gasoline, saving Iowa drivers more than $65 million between 2023 and 2024.
“In Iowa, we continue to see ethanol sales grow year over year. When consumers are given a choice at the pump, they choose E15 and that adds up to real cost savings for Iowa families,” said Secretary Naig. “In addition to its affordability, E15 creates a valuable market for Iowa farmers, significantly driving demand for corn growers, creating jobs and generating economic activity in rural communities. It’s time for Congress to make year-round E15 available nationwide so families and communities across the country can enjoy the same benefits.”
Iowa’s E15 Access Standard
The state of Iowa has prioritized biofuels as part of a broader strategy to reduce gas prices, increase consumer choice and develop markets for Iowa-grown products. Iowa is the first state in the nation to require most fuel retailers to sell and market E15, unless they qualify for a waiver or exemption.
When the E15 Access Standard was passed by the Iowa Legislature in 2022, only 329 Iowa fuel retailers reported sales of E15, and now that number has more than tripled. To date, more than 1,100 fuel retailers in Iowa are selling E15, representing more than half of the 2,051 commercial fuel retailers licensed in the state. More than 150 additional fuel retailers are investing in infrastructure upgrades and plan to offer E15 by the end of 2026, reinforcing Iowa’s commitment to making higher blends of biofuels more readily available to drivers.
To view an interactive map of fuel retailers selling E15 in Iowa, visit the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association website.
Investing in Biofuels Infrastructure
For 20 years, the State of Iowa has helped fuel retailers transition to selling higher blends of ethanol and biodiesel through the Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program (RFIP). Funded by the Iowa Legislature and administered by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS), the cost-share program has invested nearly $70 million in biofuels infrastructure projects since 2006. Those public investments have been matched by approximately $280 million in private investment. The result is a growing network of fueling locations that give consumers more choices and reinforce Iowa’s position as a national agricultural and biofuels leader.
To learn more about the Iowa Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program, visit the IDALS website.